


Teatime

by parisique



Series: rubies, citrines, and sapphires [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Loves Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Gabriel Ships It, Gabriel is Adrien's Wingman, Gen, Marinette and Chloé and Alix rule the school, Nathalie is Gabriel's Braincell, but it's not really relevant here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parisique/pseuds/parisique
Summary: He’s never met anyone who has such creative genius before. Too bad his son can’t see it … Perhaps Gabriel could try and open his eyes for him?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nathalie Sancoeur
Series: rubies, citrines, and sapphires [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793536
Comments: 77
Kudos: 490





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I post this just so I could post [The Unfortunate Tale of Lydia Bethune](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101949) and also procrastinate the last chapter of [Knight](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24942016/chapters/60368527)? Yes.

“Just scream if anything goes wrong,” Chloé said, “and I’ll go kick his ass!” 

Beside her, Alix nodded. “And be careful - I’m like 80% sure that assistant can control the house.”

Chloé raised a brow. “Like … like a robot?” Alix nodded, dead serious. “Well … honestly, it would explain a lot.”

“Don’t worry,” Marinette smiled, “I’ll be fine.” She turned and pressed the bell as Alix darted out of sight - she and Nathalie weren’t fond of each other.

“Yes?” The camera peered down at her as Nathalie’s voice came through the tinny speaker.

“I’d like to meet with M. Agreste,” Marinette said firmly, “I believe I have something that belongs to him.”

A pause, and then the camera disappeared back into the wall as the front gates swung open.

“Remember, just scream,” Chloé whisper-yelled after her as Marinette started towards the Agreste Manor.

Gabriel was waiting for her in the foyer. “Mlle. Dupain-Cheng,” he greeted, “I heard you wish to speak with me?”

“Yes, M. Agreste,” Marinette gave him a nod. “I discovered a rather curious book under a table in the library a few hours before being notified that Adrien was being pulled out of school for losing a book. The one I found matched the description he gave, and I came here with the assumption that I found your lost item.”

“I see,” Gabriel said, staring at her with his most scrutinizing gaze - the Agreste Glare, known to make the most emotionless models collapse in their sky-high heels and the toughest photographers cower in fear. Marinette Dupain-Cheng stared right back, her blue eyes projecting a calm almost too calm for his liking. Gabriel lightly cleared his throat. “Might I see this item of which you speak?”

“Of course,” she said, and withdrew it from her bag. He took it from her, only sparing it a glance to check that it was, indeed, his grimoire, before handing it off to Nathalie. “I trust you won’t speak of this with Adrien?”

Gabriel met her stare again and only shook his head.

Nathalie moved forward to open the door and guide their guest out when she spoke again.

“Could I ask you something, M. Agreste?” Her stare had somehow become harder in an instant. Gabriel hesitated for a blink, but nodded. “Where did you get that book?”

“I found it while I was on a trip overseas with my wife. I’ve never seen another copy of it.” Steely gray bore into ocean blue before Mlle. Dupain-Cheng nodded.

“Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing Adrien at school tomorrow.” And with that, she breezed out the door. 

“Nathalie?” His assistant raised a brow. “Where have I seen that girl before?”

“Not only is she one of Adrien’s friends from school, she won your hat designing competition a few months ago, sir.” 

Gabriel ruminated on that as he took the grimoire back into his atelier. “Look up the winning design - and call Adrien.”

“Yes, sir,” came the ever-stoic response.

“You’re alive!” Alix rushed over as soon as Marinette was out of sight of the Manor. “You didn’t get eaten alive!”

“What happened?” Chloé asked.

“I gave him the book, and Adrien’s coming back to school,” Marinette told them. “And yeah, I’m still alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Alix still think Nathalie is part-robot? Yes.  
> Will she ever stop thinking that? Probably not.  
> Don't get the reference? Then check out [Rooftops.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24920215) Also, why aren't you reading this series in chronological order??


	2. Chapter 2

“Nathalie?”

Gabriel spared only a glance as Adrien slipped into his office. Nathalie was at her desk, and he was at his, looking through the designs for the next spring-summer line. Adrien left after asking Nathalie something, and the atelier was filled with the sounds of typing once more.

His work was once again interrupted ten minutes later, when there was the familiar buzzing of the doorbell. Gabriel frowned, pulled from the designs as Nathalie pressed the button to let whoever it was enter - speaking of, who was it, exactly?

When he voiced this question to Nathalie, she informed him that it was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“The same girl who brought me the grimoire and won the bowler competition?” He asked, and Nathalie nodded. After considering for a moment, Gabriel turned off his computer and made for the entrance.

“Where are you going, sir?” Nathalie asked, a bit of nervousness inching into her voice.

“I’m going to greet our guest,” Gabriel said, “if you could have the chef prepare a tea tray, that would be lovely.”

Nathalie narrowed her eyes but complied as Gabriel stepped into the foyer. Adrien wasn’t down yet, which was good. A knock came at the front door - Mlle. Dupain-Cheng had arrived. Wonderful.

Gabriel went and opened the door himself, smiling down at their guest. “Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, welcome!”

“Ah, good afternoon, M. Agreste,” she replied, stepping into the Manor. And then, after a beat, “How are you?”

“I’m wonderful, wonderful, thank you,” Gabriel beamed. “I take it you’re here to visit Adrien?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Hm. So, I hear you’re a designer? Aren’t you the one who won my bowler competition a while back?” She nodded. “Anything you’ve been working on recently?”

She cast him a look, but began telling him about her latest project - a nice black dress with a peter-pan collar. As she spoke, Nathalie came by with a tea tray.

“Ah,” Gabriel said as Marinette paused, “why don’t we step into my atelier? I would love to hear more about your work, and we can take some tea in the meanwhile.”

Marinette looked towards the stairs. “I do appreciate the offer, M. Agreste, but I’m here to see Adrien.”

“Nathalie, please inform Adrien of Mlle. Dupain-Cheng’s whereabouts,” Gabriel said, noting how he would have to have a conversation with his son about proper treatment of guests later, “I’m sure he won’t mind waiting a few minutes more.”

Properly placated, Marinette followed him and Nathalie into the atelier. Nathalie set the tea tray down in the conversation pit surrounding the runway that housed Gabriel’s standing desk before going to her own desk to page Adrien via intercom.

Marinette and Gabriel sat and sipped tea and nibbled on jammie dodgers while conversing about Marinette’s various projects. Gabriel learned a lot about her - her preferred fabric content for various garments, the brand of sewing machine she preferred, and she even shared a few things about her more famous commissions, like the things she’d worked on for people like Jagged Stone (though she was understandably rather tight-lipped about those, not that he would have expected anything less from someone like her).

They had eventually migrated from the sofas to Gabriel’s work desk, where he showed her the line he was working on. She seemed taken aback when he asked for her feedback, but appeared pleased when he told her he considered her trustworthy and a valuable source of input. They were halfway through the menswear when everything went to shit.

The doors opened as Adrien peeked into the room for the second time that day. “Marinette?” he asked, stepping fully into the room and seeming very surprised.

Gabriel shot Nathalie a look - _what did you tell him?_ She shot him a panicked look in response, and he resisted the urge to screech.

“Adrien,” Gabriel said with a strained smile, “wherever have you been?”

“In my room,” Adrien responded, “no one told me Marinette was here!”

Gabriel and Nathalie exchanged another look as Marinette’s eyes narrowed.

“Well,” Gabriel said, clearing his throat, “she’s here!”

“Yes,” Adrien said, “I see. I hope my father hasn’t been bothering you, Marinette!”

Again, Gabriel repressed the urge to let out a scandalised gasp and press a hand to his chest. 

“Don’t worry, Adrien,” Marinette said, crossing over to her friend, “M. Agreste has been very courteous in engaging me in a conversation about fashion.”

“I greatly thank you for your input, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng,” Gabriel said, “please enjoy the rest of your visit to our home.”

“Thank you, M. Agreste, Mme. Sancoeur,” Marinette replied, and with that, she left the room with Adrien.

“What did you tell him?!” Gabriel demanded as soon as he was sure they were out of earshot.

“I thought you didn’t want him to know,” Nathalie hissed back.

Gabriel clutched at his hair and glared at the screen as he let out a strangled cry.

“Master?” Nooroo perched lightly on top of Nathalie’s monitor across the room, looking like he was holding back a laugh. “Are you - are you alright?”

“Do I _look_ alright?” Gabriel snarled.

“Not really,” Nooroo replied, a grape held between his paws. “Your hair is sticking up strangely as a result of you pulling it, Master.”

“It was a rhetorical question, Nooroo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could have ended this chapter nicely, with Gabriel waxing poetic to his portrait of Emilie about how he's found someone to take over the company. But I thought, you know what? Maybe Nooroo is more a little shit than we see in canon. Wouldn't you be, if you were in his position?


	3. Chapter 3

“So,” Nathalie said as Marinette stepped out of the room.

It was Friday, and the young girl had been visiting after-school every day for the week, as she and Adrien had been paired up for a school assignment. This mean that Gabriel would steal her away for a Tea Talk, as he called them - a chat about fashion between designers. They lasted for as long as he could keep Adrien at bay, and trick him into thinking Marinette was still on her way. As the week went on, Gabriel had been having less and less success, as Adrien was catching on to the ruse.

Gabriel looked up to find both his assistant and his kwami giving him similar looks. “What?”

“There’s been a lack of akumas this week,” Nathalie began cautiously.

Gabriel paused in his work. Had there been? He honestly couldn’t remember - he’d been so caught up in his work and talking with Mlle. Dupain-Cheng that he’d been rather busy.

“Well,” Gabriel began, and then he floundered for an excuse. “I’ve been busy with my work.”

“That didn’t stop you before,” Nathalie pointed out. “Are you sure it isn’t because of Mlle. Dupain-Cheng?”

“She has been a very good influence on you, Master,” Nooroo piped up from his position on Nathalie’s office phone.

“I’m just taking a break from akumas,” Gabriel huffed, “it’s to lull those pesky heroes into having a false sense of security until I attack! In fact, you know what? I’m going to go make one right now!”

“Right now?” Nathalie echoed, one eyebrow creeping upwards.

“Yes - right now,” Gabriel decided, turning towards the secret elevator. “Nooroo, come!”

Once transformed in his lair, Gabriel thought back to Nathalie’s words. No akumas all week - had he really been that caught up in designing? Fashion hadn’t held his attention for that long since … since before Emilie fell ill. Perhaps they were right, and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng really was a good influence …

Speaking of good influence, Adrien was getting more and more offended that Gabriel was sneaking Marinette away into his atelier instead of sending her to Adrien’s room. Did this school project really mean that much to him, or was there some other motive? Could it be that he … liked her? Gabriel filed this little thought away for further reflection.

For now, he focused on the task at hand - and yes, there! A girl was upset at the thought of her favourite celebrity being photographed with someone else. Except the celebrity was Adrien, and the girl was - Marinette? Oh, it was a tabloid paparazzi photo of them talking on the school steps. Well, teenage heartbreak would be a perfectly fine motive for the akuma.

“Hello, I am Hawkmoth ...”

That night, Gabriel decided to join Adrien for dinner. He needed some answers, and it was the easiest way to get them, in his opinion.

A look of shock passed over Adrien’s face as his father entered the dining room, though he quickly schooled his expression into one of careful neutrality. “Good evening, Father.”

“Adrien,” Gabriel nodded at him as their meals were placed in front of them. “How was… your day?”

“It was good,” Adrien began enthusiastically, “except for the part where I was expecting Marinette to work on our project with me, but then you hid her away in your office.”

“And why is that?” Gabriel raised a brow. _Please admit you like her, please admit you like her …_

“Because Marinette is my friend.” Adrien frowned down the table at him. “And she comes over to spend time with _me._ ”

“How do you know she doesn’t come over to spend time with me? After all, she and I are both fashion designers.” _Just say you like her,_ Gabriel silently screamed in his head.

“While I’m sure she values your mentorship,” Adrien said, “I’d like to think she values our friendship more.”

Gabriel tried a different approach. “Yes, alright. What do you think of Mlle. Dupain-Cheng?”

“Marinette’s awesome,” Adrien began, his face lighting up. “She’s kind, and caring, but she also doesn’t take crap from anyone!”

Gabriel would soon regret his question, for his son kept on talking about his … “friend” for the next ten minutes. With a sigh, Gabriel stood in the middle of it, having finished his meal. “Alright, well, I’d suggest you finish eating before it gets cold. I think I’ll be going now.” He gave a defeated sigh, but stood in place for a moment - Nooroo had gone to the kitchens for grapes, and he had yet to return.

Adrien looked at his father, shrugged, and took another bite.

“I said, I think I’ll be going now,” Gabriel repeated, louder.

“I heard you, Father,” Adrien said as Nooroo came zipping through the doorway, careful not to be seen by Adrien.

Gabriel cleared his throat and headed for the atelier.

Nathalie had gone for the day, and he sat and let Nooroo fly off somewhere as he stared into the kind eyes of his wife.

She would know what to do about all this - about his son who refused to acknowledge his feelings, and the girl who he wanted to train to be his successor, and those pesky heroes who he was dedicating less and less time to.

Less time spent thinking about that rotten little cat and that pesky little girl, the less time he was spending finding a way to revive his beloved. Emilie meant the world to him, and everything would be set right on its axis if he could just bring her back …

But your world is already righting itself, a little voice whispered in the back of his mind, isn’t it? Because the more time you spend with Marinette, the clearer things become - why, wasn’t it in part due to her that you dined with your son tonight? And didn’t you see that flicker of happiness - happier than you’ve seen him look in a long while, no? Don’t you feel good when you’re spending time working on mockups and talking fashion with her - better than you do when controlling akumas? Doesn’t it feel nice to chuckle at one of Adrien’s jokes when he finds you talking with Marinette when she should be working on stupid science presentation with him? And didn’t she suggest, just today, in fact, that Adrien be invited to your talks? Wouldn’t it be nice to spend time like that, all together - like a family? The voice in his head, Gabriel noted, was starting to sound a lot like Nooroo.

With a sigh, he turned back to his wife’s emerald eyes. She stared out of the portrait, smiling wisely. If only she could talk ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plagg and Nooroo do, in fact, spend dinner talking over cheese and grapes in the back of the fridge. They're careful to hide so the chef doesn't see them.


	4. Chapter 4

He had to choose someone good - someone trustworthy...someone who wouldn’t be scared to see an akuma. Marinette? No, she would be scared of the akuma. Adrien? No, he’d be scared of the akuma, too. Perhaps Adrien’s bodyguard, but he didn’t want to traumatise anyone. And not Nathalie, he needed her during the day.

In the end, he chose to do it himself. After making an anonymous call to the police and making sure they found Emilie in the abandoned field (he hated to take her out of the machine for long, but it was a necessary evil), Gabriel waited a few days before he found himself standing in his lair on a Sunday afternoon.

He clasped his hands around one of the butterflies and infused the magical energy into it before releasing it and dropping his transformation.

Nooroo came swirling out of the brooch. The kwami gave the akuma a glance before looking back towards him. 

Gabriel cleared his throat. “Thank you for all your service, Nooroo. I … Nooroo, I renounce you.”

Nooroo once again went zipping through the air and disappeared into the brooch Gabriel now held in his hand. He placed it into a box and closed the lid, murmuring a small apology. Then, he placed the box with the brooch on a table, next to a box containing the Peacock miraculous.

Gabriel allowed the akuma to enter his glasses. After the dark mass of bubbles passed over him, he picked up the two boxes containing the miraculous and tucked them into the messenger bag he had given himself.

“I am now Messenger,” he declared to the empty room - monologuing was always one of his favourite parts of being Hawkmoth. “I have the power to deliver messages.” He looked down at his outfit - that of a normal mailman’s, but in the cherry-red and white of his ascot. And his shoes had wings.

Messenger opened the window to let the butterflies out, and then he followed suit. Before long, he was flying through the air, headed for the Eiffel Tower.

Parisians were quick to spot him, pulling out their phones to record him and send out the akuma alert. Well, good - the sooner word was gotten to Ladybug and Chat Noir, the better.

Apparently, they received word rather soon, for Messenger had only made it halfway when Chat Noir appeared in front of him.

“Hello, Chat Noir,” Messenger greeted, the wings on his shoes stilling to let him drop onto the rooftop next to the hero.

“Hello, Akuma du Jour,” Chat Noir greeted, “I’d love to sit and chat some more, but I’m afraid that’s not how this usually goes.”

“Wait,” Messenger cried as Ladybug yoyo-ed in next to her partner, “I’ve come with a message!”

The heroes exchanged glances before turning back to him, rolling their eyes.

“We’re not giving up our miraculous,” Ladybug sighed.

“No, I come bearing news from Hawkmoth!” Gabriel got the Butterfly and Peacock out of his bag. “Here - he’s returning the miraculous of the Butterfly and the Peacock.”

That gave them pause. Ladybug hesitated, staring at the boxes in his hands.

“Open them,” she commanded, and so he did.

Nooroo and Duusu appeared in balls of light. Ladybug quickly reached forward to close the boxes and take them before the small crowd that had gathered below them could catch on.

“My akumatised object is this,” Messenger took off his glasses and handed them to her, too. “If you could cleanse them?”

“Okay,” she said, slipping the miraculous into her yoyo.

One shout of “Miraculous Ladybug!” later, Gabriel Agreste was himself once more.

“Oh?” He looked around in a show of being confused. “Whatever am I doing here?”

“You were akumatised by Hawkmoth, sir,” Ladybug said.

“Oh, no!” Gabriel slapped his hands to his cheeks. “I don’t have time for this - Marinette and Adrien will be looking for me!”

Both heroes visibly stiffened at this, but no one noticed. After returning him to ground level, Ladybug and Chat Noir stayed to answer a few reporters’ questions as Gabriel hurried back to the Manor.

Thankfully, Marinette hadn’t arrived yet, and Adrien was still in his room. As Gabriel stepped back into the atelier, Nathalie gave him a knowing look.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he huffed.

“Everything is ready for Adrien and Marinette’s arrival,” she responded.

Gabriel turned to survey the tray of tea and biscuits that had been placed on the coffee table, as well as the little mock-ups that still needed some finishing and the designs that still needed reviewing. “Good.”

Paris was glad to not see Hawkmoth in action ever again, and Gabriel was glad to have gotten a new, good normal back into his life.

“What?” Adrien gasped.

“Join us,” Gabriel repeated. He had went to go fetch Adrien before Marinette arrived for the Tea Talk, and had found him talking to himself, strangely. "This will be a good compromise so you can spend time with your _friend_ and I can train my protégé at the same time."

“Okay,” Adrien breathed, and allowed himself to be led out of his room and through the Manor towards the atelier.

While the boy still refused to admit it, Gabriel saw how he immediately grinned when he saw Marinette waiting for them in the foyer.

He sighed to himself. He had bet Nathalie that Adrien would realise his feelings in the next five years. Nathalie had said it would take at least ten. As usual, it was looking like she would be right - _damn it!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while delirious so excuse the mess. Next and last chapter will be Adrienette wedding Gabe POV, and then I will be done with this series!


	5. Chapter 5

There was that blasted DJ boy - what was his name, something with an N … Nicolas? Nino? Nigel? Ah, whatever.

And they had let Alix Kubdel wear skates - if he wasn’t mistaken, the same skates she’d used to kick Nathalie in the shin with four years ago. Speaking of which, they were glaring at each other - better not let that continue on for long.

As he jabbed Nathalie in the ribs with a well-placed elbow, Gabriel glanced over towards the other side of the altar. There was Mlle. Bourgeois - at least she looked nice.

He had only glanced at the other bridesmaid - Marinette’s cousin, from her mother’s side, if he wasn’t mistaken - when the music started up.

Adrien and Marinette had hired a chorus of some kind, and they sang from the choir near the ceiling. Everyone rose and turned to the back as the doors opened.

Marinette stepped into the room, floating down the aisle. Her dress was one of her own design, of course, and it was exquisite. Tom led her down the aisle towards Adrien, who was …

Who was already crying, goddamn it. A tear silently trickled down his cheek as he beamed at Marinette. He couldn’t wait until after she’d reached him. Well, there went another five pounds.

Nathalie smiled smugly as everyone sat down again and the officiant started to speak. Gabriel sighed and passed her a 5 euro note, which she tucked into her pocket.

On his other side, Sabine poked him. Gabriel turned his attention back to where Marinette and Adrien were smiling at each other, except …

Except Marinette still wasn’t crying.  _ Goddamn it! _

He passed her 5-euro note, too, only to find Tom doing the same. It appeared they had both been roped into the same thing. He was just grateful that he hadn’t made that many bets on how the night would play out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end, mic drop.
> 
> Thank you all so much for sticking this out to the end. And now, on to other things (finally).

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and constructive crit are welcome!


End file.
